Promoting Democracy:

The State of Public Opinion and Political Behaviour in South Africa

 

Hosted by:

The Department of Political Sciences,

 University of Pretoria

 

Sponsored by:

The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

with additional support from the Embassy of the United States in South Africa

 

Thursday 16 July 2009

Student Representative Council (SRC) Chambers, University of Pretoria

 

 

      Programme

 

 

Adler Cuisine, University of Pretoria

Pre-conference dinner

 

18:30 for 19:00

 

Performance by the University of Pretoria Chorale

 

Keynote address by H.E. Ambassador D.W. Haller of the Federal Republic of Germany

 

 

08:00 – 08:30 Tea/coffee and registration

 

08:30               Welcome

Prof Maxi Schoeman (UP)

Dr Werner Böhler (KAS)

 

 

08:50               Panel 1

 

Approaches to the study of voter behaviour and the role of public opinion in elections

Chair:              Prof Siegmar Schmidt (University of Koblenz-Landau)

Panelists:       Dr Mike Wolf (University of Indiana-Purdue, Fort Wayne)

                        Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana (HSRC)

 

Discussion

10:30               Tea/coffee

11:00               Panel 2

Voter behaviour and public opinion in the South African national election of April 2009     

Chair:              Prof Sandy Africa (UP)

Panelists:       Ms Mari Harris (MARKINOR)

                        Mr Henry Jeffreys (Editor, Die Burger)

                        Prof Paulus Zulu (UKZN)

Dr Henning Melber (Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, Uppsala)

 

Discussion

13:00               Lunch

14:00               Panel 3

Public Opinion and Political Behaviour: a comparative perspective

                        Chair:              Prof Katabaro Miti (UP)

Panelists:       Prof Siegmar Schmidt (University of Koblenz-Landau) – Germany/Europe

Dr Betsi Grabe (Indiana University, Bloomington) – USA                                 

Prof Roger Southall (University of the Witwatersrand) – Southern Africa/Africa                                         

                        Discussion

16:00               Closing session

                        Summary:                   Mr Roland Henwood (UP)

                        Vote of thanks:          Prof Sandy Africa (UP)

16:30               Departure

19:00               Dinner for guests who will depart on 17 July